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That sounds like your basic rain sensor. The design of the typical rain sensor is to open the common wire connection when it has rained. That way, it doesn't matter how your controller works, when the sensor THINKS it has rained, your system doesn't water the grass.

Based on a brocure I could find online for the Greenkeeper 212, the sensor connection terminal is just there as an alternate way of installing a rain sensor without splicing the sensor into the common connection. So yes, as the others have said, you want to bypass the rain sensor all together (i.e. rather than connect common to rain sensor to valves, just connect the valves common wire directly to the controller).

Went home last night with the intent of disconnecting my rain sensor and ran into a problem; the rain sensor is not connected to the sensor connection terminal. After trying to identify all the wires, I have deduced that the rain sensor has been wired into the common connection terminal. Is that possible? I don't want to start pulling wires if I'm wrong. Sorry if this post is in the wrong spot. I was trying to follow the thread. For the record, I have a Toro Greenkeeper 212 system. Seems like this was the preferred model in my area, as all the houses in my development seem to have them.

I believe the rain sensor disengages the ground wire. Funny, I've done thousands of repair jobs and I don't recall ever seeing a rain sensor installed on a system. I have read up on them though. So that means yes the rain sensor can keep you from turning on the valves manually at the timer but should be able to turn them on at the valves themselves. If you can't then you have an additional problem. You might want to consider just disconnecting the rain sensor if it's an onging problem or get an upgrade to a better model. Good luck!

input welcome

****o All,

First time posting on this site, but I've read a bunch of previous posts and it sounds like there are some very knowledgable people out there, so I hope you can help.

Bought a house a year ago with a Toro Greenkeeper sprinkler system installed. House was built in 2003, so system is fairly new. Had a problem with system a few weeks ago and broke down and called an irrigation company. System would not start either by starting manually or via timer. tech that came out said it was the rain sensor and got me going again. Not sure his diagnosis is correct, and I think I'm having problems again.

1) Would the rain sensor not allow me to start system manually from the box?

2) Would a heavy rain cause me not to be able to start the system manually? I thought the rain sensor disengaged the timer only, or does it disable the whole system.

Sorry for the lengthy post. Wanted to make sure I explained myself clearly.